The invention relates to an improved nose pad for eyeglasses, wherein the nose pad is generally flexible to accommodate or conform to any nose type of a human being and is situated on the bridge of the nose.
Eyeglasses are retained on a human being""s head by two elements: the temples and the bridge. While the temple extends beyond and sometimes wraps itself around the ear of a wearer, the bridge of the eyeglasses is situated on the wearer""s nose. Thus, a majority of the complaints relate to the fit and comfort of these elements on the head. Advances made in these areas hope to accommodate the various shapes and contours of the head. Most of these attempts are done in order to provide better fit and comfort to the wearer.
Much of the focus has centered on the bridge of the eyeglasses. A common complaint for wearers is that the eyeglasses tend to fall downward on the nose, and consequently fall off the wearer""s head. Thus, a common attempt to remedy this problem was to add a nose pad that would attach to the eyeglasses. There have been variations on the nose pad and its point of attachment on the eyeglasses and on the nose. U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,385 discloses a pair of nose pads for eyeglasses that are situated on the bridge. However, when placed upon the wearer, the nose pads are on either side of the nose. Similarly, the nose pads in U.S. Pat. No. 2,298,832 are also situated on either side of the nose, rather than the bridge of the nose.
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 36,048 teaches a nose pad that is supported by one piece situated between the pad and the bridge of the eyeglasses. In addition, the nose pad is constructed of a rigid metal, making it very inflexible. Moreover, in order to adapt to the shape of the nose, the nose pad must rotate about a single axis.
The nose pad in U.S. Pat. No. 1,789,937 discloses one of uniform construction. The actual nose pad is part of an elongated piece of metal that is wrapped around the bridge of the eyeglasses. Thus, movement on the nose pad is restricted by its attachment to the bridge. Movement about the nose pad will change the position of the eyeglasses as they are attached to the nose pad.
A nose pad attached to the bridge by a suspension frame is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,422. While it is situated on the bridge of the nose, the nose pad is rather rigid and inflexible. Thus, it cannot conform to the shape of any particular nose. Rather, this nose pad is more of a padded support, so that the nose is not situated directly on the bridge of the eyeglasses itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,729 discloses a nose pad that is attached to a perpendicular member that allows the nose pad to move upwards and downwards. However, since the member is rigid, any movement in the nose pad will consequently affect the placement of the eyeglasses on the wearer. The nose pad is a rigid piece of metal that is unable to conform to the shape of a particular nose, and thus suffers the same detriments as outlined above.
The instant invention solves the deficiencies stated in the prior art, while providing improvements as stated herein.
The general purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved nose pad assembly for eyeglasses which includes a bridge portion. A nose pad support member comprises a bar portion fixed to the rear face of the bridge. The support member further comprises, at either end of the bar portion, two arms extending rearwardly away from the bridge, for acting as a first fastening means in conjunction with the nose pad. The bar portion and the two arms are preferably of unitary construction to allow for sufficient strength and rigidity, as well as the ability of the arms to flex slightly relative to the bar in response to pressure from the nose pad. Unitary construction also provides for ease of assembly. However, it is also possible the bar portion is formed by the bridge portion itself, with the extending arms of the support being connected directly to the rear face of the bridge. The support member is preferably made of metal, for example in the form of a thin wire, to provide the properties of strength and flexibility.
The nose pad is preferably constructed of a plastic material such as PVC, and is generally flexible, such that when in use upon the bridge of the nose, the nose pad can flex and partially conform to the shape of the bridge of the nose. The nose pad is generally of an elongate form for lying laterally across the bridge of the nose. The nose pad is connected at either lateral end thereof to, and supported by, the respective free ends of the arms of the support member. Otherwise, the nose pad is unsupported in the central section thereof, which allows the ability for the nose pad to flex forward when placed on the nose.
It is a general objective of the invention to provide an improved nose pad that maximizes the comfort and fit of eyeglasses as worn upon the user""s head, by creating a nose pad that is substantially flexible to adapt to the shape of the nose.
It is a further objective of the invention to provide a nose pad that can be comfortably situated on the bridge of the nose, rather than on its sides, thereby providing the eyeglasses with better support.
These and other objects of the invention are best understood and more apparent when the detailed description and the accompanying drawings are read in conjunction with each other.